There was a bad batch of Slumdog Millionaire DVDs released without the special features advertised on the box. Missing are “The Making Of” featurette and the “Deleted Scenes” among other promised content. Needless to say, a lot of buyers are complaining to Amazon about it. The web seller has added this note: DVD…

UPDATE: You asked, I’ll answer. I’ve just learned that CBS has demanded that each existing TV show — even the hit ones — reduce their budgets for next year, if renewed. This may mean smaller writing staffs. Meanwhile, Hollywood has been speculating about the future of the new CBS feature division. I’m told, “All…

Universal isn’t even breaking a sweat. “People don’t get the process,” one exec told me. “The film isn’t even rated yet.” So I can’t believe some bloggers think it’s a big deal that Sacha Baron Cohen’s Bruno has received a possible NC-17 rating on its first submission to the MPAA. Because it happens all the time. Just…

I hear Sumner Redstone is denying those persistent rumors that he’s talking to Peter Chernin about replacing Philippe Dauman as No. 2. “Chernin is from the creative side, and Dauman isn’t,” said a source explaining the whispering. And Sumner has been known to make shocking mogul moves. (Just ask Tom Freston.)…

Just when you think it can’t get any worse for Les Moonves, it does. He’s already slashed the CBS Inc dividend. Today the stock fell more than 17%. That followed a UBS downgrade of the media stock from neutral to sell because so much of the company’s revenues are generated through auto advertising (65%), including…

The former United Artists exec wrote what I consider to be the best books about the lunacy of the entertainment business — Final Cut, about how Michael Cimino’s disastrous 1980 Heaven's Gate brought down the studio. Bach also wrote biographies of Marlene Dietrich, Moss Hart and Leni Riefenstahl. He died of cancer at…

Before she was let go, Endeavor talent agent Daisy Wu’s client list included Oscar winner Mira Sorvino, DL Hughley, Alexander Skarsgard, Lindsay Sloane, Chris Eccleston, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Alex Pettyfer, and Amelia Warner. I’m told it's not confirmed at this time which clients will follow her to The Gersh Agency…

When the pact was announced 18 months ago, I noted that, if a sucker is born every minute, all eventually land in Hollywood. And that, after exhausting the German dentist money, then the American tycoon scion money, then the Greenwich hedge fund money, Tinseltown was now exploiting the Abu Dhabi real estate money. A…

As I reported back on March 20th, Emmy Rossum left CAA. She took meetings with several top agencies and has now signed with ICM.

I’ll be in and out over the next 3 days so cut DHD some slack. Will file when I can. But expect lighter than usual posting and late stories. Keep those tips coming!

SUNDAY AM: Feel that heat? It’s another hot weekend at the box office, +40% over last year for $140 million in overall grosses. And it’s mostly due to the blistering North American performance of 3-D blockbuster Monsters vs Aliens. Despite so-so elite reviews, the pic totalled $58.2M this weekend, performing almost as…

EXCLUSIVE & UPDATED: Sources tell me that outcast AOL CEO Jon Miller has agreed to join News Corp in a newly created role as CEO, Digital Media. He will report to Rupert Murdoch and be based in NYC and in charge of Internet and mobile businesses in a global role driving digital strategy across all News Corp business…